When is the plan for new HS programs coming out?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Thinking about this region, here are the programs I know about.

BCC - IB, PLTW
Blair - SMACS, CAP
Einstein - IB
Northwood
Whitman - Social Justice

Are there any other programs I am missing? Does Northwood have a program?

If not - my guess is that Einstein loses IB, BCC loses PLTW, and Blair loses CAP. Then PLTW and CAP move to Northwood/Einstein.

Northwood has MC2, ROTC. Einstein has the VAC program (which is actually county-wide). Don't all schools have PLTW--isn't it just an online thing?

No PLTW is a series of engineering classes. It includes an exam that can provide college credit at certain schools. https://www.pltw.org/

So maybe B-CC keeps PLTW, Northwood keeps its programs, and Einstein takes CAP. I can’t imagine Einstein keeping its IB program.

Huh? Why not?

Because they will only have one in each cluster, and BCC’s is much stronger.

Does it say this somewhere, or you are assuming something?

That’s what they have said in the presentations to the Board so far.

But IB hasn't been mentioned in that way. It's been mentioned alongside AP as a type of advanced level classes that would be available at every school.

[Anonymous]

It's good to have more options available across the county, but it can also be overwhelming. My current NEC high schooler who went to a DCC middle school could have gone to 17 different open houses to learn about high schools and programs she was eligible for (home school, consortia schools, interest-based, and criteria-based programs). It was a lot!

One thing I haven't liked about the consortium system is the way that friend groups get split up, especially if you're also in an elementary school that has split articulation. Having more choices is good, but there are also tradeoffs.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:so the regions would let kids just lottery into other schools that have space? That seems...idk...opposed to the idea of neighborhood schools.

Slides were up so briefly but I think it's based on program interest and student qualifications, as opposed to "I'd just rather go to Whitman," etc.

so it'll be like CES where there are far more qualified students than spaces, and then there's a lottery?

this is all so gross.

No? Seems like it will be like it is now for the HS programs, but wth smaller catchment areas for each.

so it will just be 100 kids in each of these very competitive lotteries, and then everyone else gets...nothing? I'm so lost as to the model here.

They don't say they're lotteries.

The group doing the program analysis is DCCAPS, which runs the lotteries. I am assuming these will be lotteries as well. Some like CES where qualified students are put into a lottery, others based on interest alone.

Take a deep breath, stop spreading unfounded rumors, and wait for more information rather than freaking out based on pure speculation.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking about this region, here are the programs I know about.

BCC - IB, PLTW
Blair - SMACS, CAP
Einstein - IB
Northwood
Whitman - Social Justice

Are there any other programs I am missing? Does Northwood have a program?

If not - my guess is that Einstein loses IB, BCC loses PLTW, and Blair loses CAP. Then PLTW and CAP move to Northwood/Einstein.

Northwood has MC2, ROTC. Einstein has the VAC program (which is actually county-wide). Don't all schools have PLTW--isn't it just an online thing?

No PLTW is a series of engineering classes. It includes an exam that can provide college credit at certain schools. https://www.pltw.org/

So maybe B-CC keeps PLTW, Northwood keeps its programs, and Einstein takes CAP. I can’t imagine Einstein keeping its IB program.

Huh? Why not?

Because they will only have one in each cluster, and BCC’s is much stronger.

Does it say this somewhere, or you are assuming something?

That’s what they have said in the presentations to the Board so far.

But IB hasn't been mentioned in that way. It's been mentioned alongside AP as a type of advanced level classes that would be available at every school.

DP but I saw that in the slides as well… an IB and World Languages specialization. I also thought it said all schools would have either AP or IB.

[Anonymous]

Did anyone who caught the slides notice whether Global Ecology would be expanded beyond Poolesville?

[Anonymous]

This is on Tuesday's agenda only as an Item of Discussion, meaning no board vote on the proposal is scheduled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:so the regions would let kids just lottery into other schools that have space? That seems...idk...opposed to the idea of neighborhood schools.

Slides were up so briefly but I think it's based on program interest and student qualifications, as opposed to "I'd just rather go to Whitman," etc.

so it'll be like CES where there are far more qualified students than spaces, and then there's a lottery?

this is all so gross.

Why would you assume that? There's presumably going to be 3 to 6 times as many spots open for the new regional programs as there are now for the current whole or half-county programs. And who said anything about changing the application based programs to lottery based?

why would i assume...what? that it's a lottery? because CES is a lottery after the 'application'. that's why I would assume that. also because we have no info otherwise.

The HS magnets are not lotteries.

but the consortiums are

And the consortiums are apparently ending, so how is that relevant?

because these new regional programs may be run like the consortiums. We have no info either way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking about this region, here are the programs I know about.

BCC - IB, PLTW
Blair - SMACS, CAP
Einstein - IB
Northwood
Whitman - Social Justice

Are there any other programs I am missing? Does Northwood have a program?

If not - my guess is that Einstein loses IB, BCC loses PLTW, and Blair loses CAP. Then PLTW and CAP move to Northwood/Einstein.

Northwood has MC2, ROTC. Einstein has the VAC program (which is actually county-wide). Don't all schools have PLTW--isn't it just an online thing?

No PLTW is a series of engineering classes. It includes an exam that can provide college credit at certain schools. https://www.pltw.org/

So maybe B-CC keeps PLTW, Northwood keeps its programs, and Einstein takes CAP. I can’t imagine Einstein keeping its IB program.

Huh? Why not?

Because they will only have one in each cluster, and BCC’s is much stronger.

Does it say this somewhere, or you are assuming something?

That’s what they have said in the presentations to the Board so far.

But IB hasn't been mentioned in that way. It's been mentioned alongside AP as a type of advanced level classes that would be available at every school.

No IB will not be at every school. They are saying that if IB is available at a school, then the same AP class amy NOT be available. There will be (at most) one IB diploma program per reguon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:so the regions would let kids just lottery into other schools that have space? That seems...idk...opposed to the idea of neighborhood schools.

Slides were up so briefly but I think it's based on program interest and student qualifications, as opposed to "I'd just rather go to Whitman," etc.

so it'll be like CES where there are far more qualified students than spaces, and then there's a lottery?

this is all so gross.

Why would you assume that? There's presumably going to be 3 to 6 times as many spots open for the new regional programs as there are now for the current whole or half-county programs. And who said anything about changing the application based programs to lottery based?

why would i assume...what? that it's a lottery? because CES is a lottery after the 'application'. that's why I would assume that. also because we have no info otherwise.

The HS magnets are not lotteries.

but the consortiums are

And the consortiums are apparently ending, so how is that relevant?

because these new regional programs may be run like the consortiums. We have no info either way.

+1

We could have 6 consortiums now. They have not been clear

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking about this region, here are the programs I know about.

BCC - IB, PLTW
Blair - SMACS, CAP
Einstein - IB
Northwood
Whitman - Social Justice

Are there any other programs I am missing? Does Northwood have a program?

If not - my guess is that Einstein loses IB, BCC loses PLTW, and Blair loses CAP. Then PLTW and CAP move to Northwood/Einstein.

Northwood has MC2, ROTC. Einstein has the VAC program (which is actually county-wide). Don't all schools have PLTW--isn't it just an online thing?

No PLTW is a series of engineering classes. It includes an exam that can provide college credit at certain schools. https://www.pltw.org/

So maybe B-CC keeps PLTW, Northwood keeps its programs, and Einstein takes CAP. I can’t imagine Einstein keeping its IB program.

Huh? Why not?

Because they will only have one in each cluster, and BCC’s is much stronger.

Does it say this somewhere, or you are assuming something?

That’s what they have said in the presentations to the Board so far.

But IB hasn't been mentioned in that way. It's been mentioned alongside AP as a type of advanced level classes that would be available at every school.

No IB will not be at every school. They are saying that if IB is available at a school, then the same AP class amy NOT be available. There will be (at most) one IB diploma program per reguon.

My guess IB will be at Rockville or RM but probably not both.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:ETA: and the Blair and RM parents who are complaining about the quality of the program declining if it becomes regional are horrible snobs. Your gifted kid can learn with other gifted local kids! They don’t have to be with only gifted kids from all around the whole county! Give me a break. So snobby!

Is MOP snobby?

The quality of the program would definitely decline if, instead of taking top 100 kids it took the top 1000. It’s already a very tough, challenging program that only the top third or so truly excel in. Expanding without reducing the standards will just set some kids up for failure or more likely dilute the program.

You're assuming that the 100 kids in the program are the top and would forever be. You are also assume there is not another 900 kids who could/would succeed in such program if the seats and program structure were available.

DP - yes. I don't really understand the elitist attitude at all. My children are younger, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but I always hear that MCPS is great if you can take full advantage of the magnets. But then that's a major caveat, because middle school magnets are lottery based and high school magnets are very, very selective. We should be serving more qualified children.

For the parents who are endorsing the Blair magnet and the RM IB program (for example) as they are, is it because your kids already got in? Or are you really not worried about your younger children making the cut? I am a little baffled.

My kid already got in, yes. And if my younger kid decides to apply and feels it’s the right fit, I am very confident that they will also get in. For very motivated, exceptionally academic and very, very hardworking kids, there are places. Some kids who don’t meet that criteria also get in. Few who fit that description and apply do NOT get in. I’m talking about the Blair magnet. It’s not for everyone. It’s a very rigorous program and virtually all kids in MCPS are not capable of that level of work at that young age. Expanding it is not the answer because kids will not be able to keep up.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:it also seems to be antithetical to what some have suggested here -- that peeling off the top-performing kids that are motivated from the worse-performing schools will just make those schools spiral downward.

I'm sure this is the idea behind spreading out academic specialities. Sure some families are going to be more motivated to get out of their neighborhood school than others, but you can spread out these programs. I don't know why Blair currently has SMCS and CAP, but if you move the CAP to Northwood (for example), you're going to get more families interested in Northwood than there are currently -- without losing interest in Blair SMCS.

for those not in the know, what is SMCS and CAP?

SMCS is the science math and comp sci magnet and CAP is the communication arts program

so the magnet seems so small as to be something not worth mentioning. I don't understand why people think these magnets improve the entire school. Perhaps that make the average grades higher, but otherwise it's just more resources for a small amount of lucky kids.

Well at Blair for example, any student can take advanced magnet classes if they meet the prerequisites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking about this region, here are the programs I know about.

BCC - IB, PLTW
Blair - SMACS, CAP
Einstein - IB
Northwood
Whitman - Social Justice

Are there any other programs I am missing? Does Northwood have a program?

If not - my guess is that Einstein loses IB, BCC loses PLTW, and Blair loses CAP. Then PLTW and CAP move to Northwood/Einstein.

Northwood has MC2, ROTC. Einstein has the VAC program (which is actually county-wide). Don't all schools have PLTW--isn't it just an online thing?

No PLTW is a series of engineering classes. It includes an exam that can provide college credit at certain schools. https://www.pltw.org/

So maybe B-CC keeps PLTW, Northwood keeps its programs, and Einstein takes CAP. I can’t imagine Einstein keeping its IB program.

Huh? Why not?

Because they will only have one in each cluster, and BCC’s is much stronger.

Does it say this somewhere, or you are assuming something?

That’s what they have said in the presentations to the Board so far.

But IB hasn't been mentioned in that way. It's been mentioned alongside AP as a type of advanced level classes that would be available at every school.

No IB will not be at every school. They are saying that if IB is available at a school, then the same AP class amy NOT be available. There will be (at most) one IB diploma program per reguon.

So you are forced to take IB classes if your school gets chosen for IB program?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking about this region, here are the programs I know about.

BCC - IB, PLTW
Blair - SMACS, CAP
Einstein - IB
Northwood
Whitman - Social Justice

Are there any other programs I am missing? Does Northwood have a program?

If not - my guess is that Einstein loses IB, BCC loses PLTW, and Blair loses CAP. Then PLTW and CAP move to Northwood/Einstein.

Northwood has MC2, ROTC. Einstein has the VAC program (which is actually county-wide). Don't all schools have PLTW--isn't it just an online thing?

No PLTW is a series of engineering classes. It includes an exam that can provide college credit at certain schools. https://www.pltw.org/

So maybe B-CC keeps PLTW, Northwood keeps its programs, and Einstein takes CAP. I can’t imagine Einstein keeping its IB program.

Huh? Why not?

Because they will only have one in each cluster, and BCC’s is much stronger.

Does it say this somewhere, or you are assuming something?

That’s what they have said in the presentations to the Board so far.

But IB hasn't been mentioned in that way. It's been mentioned alongside AP as a type of advanced level classes that would be available at every school.

No IB will not be at every school. They are saying that if IB is available at a school, then the same AP class amy NOT be available. There will be (at most) one IB diploma program per reguon.

So you are forced to take IB classes if your school gets chosen for IB program?

No

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it also seems to be antithetical to what some have suggested here -- that peeling off the top-performing kids that are motivated from the worse-performing schools will just make those schools spiral downward.

I'm sure this is the idea behind spreading out academic specialities. Sure some families are going to be more motivated to get out of their neighborhood school than others, but you can spread out these programs. I don't know why Blair currently has SMCS and CAP, but if you move the CAP to Northwood (for example), you're going to get more families interested in Northwood than there are currently -- without losing interest in Blair SMCS.

for those not in the know, what is SMCS and CAP?

SMCS is the science math and comp sci magnet and CAP is the communication arts program

so the magnet seems so small as to be something not worth mentioning. I don't understand why people think these magnets improve the entire school. Perhaps that make the average grades higher, but otherwise it's just more resources for a small amount of lucky kids.

When you have one of the kids for whom the magnet is a good fit, it's like eureka, finally an appropriate education for my kid who's been bored out of their mind in traditional school. Just as we have special ed for those who need it, we also need these magnets for those who need more from their education